Video

Grammar and
Storyboarding
Shots and Camera Movements
Establishing Shot Overhead Shot
Medium Shot Dutch Angle
Long Shot Arc Shot
Close-Up Truck
Extreme Close-Up Pan
High Angle or Up Shot Dolly
Low Angle or Down Shot Tilt
Establishing Shot Boom
Over The Shoulder Follow Shot or Tracking Shot
Point of View Storyboarding Arrows
 Establishing Shot
Establishing Shot (Wide Shot or Extreme
Wide)
The Establishing Shot sets the scene. Establishing
shots happen at the beginning of scenes and
sequences in order to show the audience an
overall view of the setting. Often the camera will
move (using new shots) from an establishing
shot to a series of progressivey tighter shots, or
simply cut straight to your dialogue scene.
 Basic Body Shots
Extreme Close-Up
Abbreviation: ECU
In close enough to include only a body part
Close-Up
Abbreviation: CU
Subject from Head past Shoulders (no floating head)
Medium Shot
Abbreviation: MS
Subject from Head to Mid-section
Long Shot
Storyboard/Shot List/Script Abbreviation: LS
Subject from Head to Toe filling the frame
Body Shots
Extreme Closeup (XCU)

Closeup(CU)

Medium Shot (MS)

Long Shot (LS)

 Camera Movement Shots
Tilt
Storyboard Arrow: Up/Down Arrow
The camera rotates up and down from a stationary
position such as a tripod
Boom (Crane)
Storyboard Arrow: Up/Down/Angled arrow
The camera is mounted at the end of a boom or crane (or
jib) and uses a combination of horizontal and vertical
movement
Arc
Storyboard Arrow: Left/Right/Curved arrow
The camera rotates around the subject in an arc or even a
full circle, usually on a track
Follow Shot (Tracking Shot)
Storyboard Arrow: Directional to match movement
The camera moves with an action in the scene.
 Camera Movement Shots
Dolly
Storyboard Arrow: Perspective arrow
The camera moves into and away from the scene on
wheels or tracks
Dolly is preferable to zooming because zooming
flattens the image and lessens depth of field
Truck
Storyboard Arrow: Left/Right arrow
The camera moves parallel (left and right) to the
scene on wheels or tracks
Pan
Storyboard Arrow: Left/Right arrow
The camera rotates left and right from a stationary
position such as a tripod
 Perspective Shots
High Angle/Down Shot
Abbreviation: HA/DS
The camera looks down on the subject, making the
subject appear psychologically and physically weak or
inferior
Low Angle/Up Shot
Abbreviation: LA/US
The camera looks up at the subject, making the
subject appear psychologically and physically strong
and dominant
Over The Shoulder
Abbreviation: OTS
The camera looks over the shoulder of one
character, showing only the back of their head and
body.
 Perspective Shots
Point of View
Abbreviation: POV
The viewer sees through the lens as if it were the
eyes of a character
Overhead (Birds Eye View)
Abbreviation: OS, Birdseye
The camera looks down from directly above the
scene (birds-eye view)
Dutch Angle
Abbreviation: DA
Tilting the camera slightly so the image is diagonal
to create tension or psychological stress.
 Storyboard Arrows
Storyboard arrows are used to either indicate
camera movement, or movement within the
shot.
They should be large, block arrows that are drawn
into the frame and sometimes cross over to other
frames when moving the camera results in
revealing new images.

PAN
Tips

Storyboarding should show whats in the frame from the point of view of the
camera lens as much as possible and thoroughly fill in the gaps with written
information.
Remember that in film-making most actions are broken up into a series of continual
shots with real-time both slowing and skipping forward. Instead of showing a scene
that lasts 30 seconds from the same shot and angle, its usually broken up into
several different shots.